The Borodino Volunteer Fire Department is responsible for providing medical and fire protection to 17.5 square miles of the Town of Spafford. The fire district includes shorelines on both Otisco and Skaneateles Lakes. The area population almost doubles in the summer months due to the occupancy in seasonal homes. The area is not served by water mains and the department must haul water to the scene of any fires.

The Spafford Fire District was formed in 1947 with two companies, Borodino and Spafford.  The first chief was George Fesko with assistants L. Burns and William Fesko.

In 1950 the District formed two separate departments. The Borodino Dept. serves the northern portion of the Town of Spafford with the Spafford Dept. responsible for the south.

The Borodino Volunteer Fire Department was incorporated in 1954 to provide financial protection to the firemen who are all volunteers.

The Borodino Volunteer Fire Department currently has 25 active members.

A second category of member, Associate, was created in 2002 to formalize the participation of members of the community that want to help but cannot commit to the training and response requirements. Associate members use specialized skills such as medical, computer, marketing, etc., knowledge to help the department improve the quality of service to the community. At the present time we have 21 associate members.

Because the youth of the community are a great asset, the Spafford and Borodino Departments combine to sponsor a fire explorer post. There are currently two active explorers in Borodino. Explorers participate in drills and respond with medical or fire apparatus to scenes. While the explorers are never placed in physical danger they are able to assist in non-dangerous activities.

Borodino does not have a formal auxiliary but firemans' family members provide another layer of volunteering. During emergencies they provide support of food, water, communications, transportation and comfort to firefighters and victims alike. They also assist in the pancake breakfasts and other fund raising events.

The longest serving member is Orville (Bunt) Osborne. His length of service exceeds 50 years. There are currently many members that have service in excess of 25 years.

Chief Dave Miller currently leads the Borodino Volunteer Fire Department. Bunt Osborne and Shum Leubner are serving as assistant chiefs.

The Department averages between 100 and 110 calls per years. The types of calls are typically 75% medical in nature with 10 % being fire response, 10% motor vehicle accidents and the remaining 5% assistance to citizens in other ways. Borodino provides mutual aid to neighboring fire departments when requested.

The department has responded to 65 calls through August 1, 2002. The nature of the calls are as follows:
Medical – 25
Fire – 10
Motor Vehicle Accident – 7
Mutual Aid to other departments – 16
Citizen Assistance - 7

Members of the department actively engage in fund raising in order to obtain new and more efficient equipment. There are two main fund raising efforts each year. The first is a letter drive. An annual report of department activities is mailed to all citizens of the Borodino Fire District and a request for donations is included. The department also has four pancake breakfasts each year. Those who attend these breakfasts soon learn that "Happiness is a Borodino Pancake". A typical pancake breakfast involves an estimated 300 hours of volunteer firefighters time. The department is currently raising funds to purchase a new rescue vehicle.

The current compliment of vehicles includes an aging rescue truck, tanker- pumper, brush truck and a large tanker.
2004